1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a support structure for supporting a foamable material on a hollow structural member, and more particularly to a support structure for supporting a foamable material in a cavity of a closed box-like hollow structural member constituted of a plurality of pieces of plates, such as pillars, rocker panels, roof side panels and hood panels of a vehicle body, in order that the foamable material blocks the cavity of the hollow structural member to increase damping powers, sound insulation powers and other powers of the hollow structural member when It is foamed by external heating.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 6 exemplarily shows a conventional support structure. In this support structure, to support a foamable material 121 in a cavity 106 of a pillar 101 as a hollow structural member which is constituted of an inner pillar panel 102 and an outer pillar panel 104, a bolt 111 having a threaded section 111a is mounted on the inner pillar panel 102 so that the threaded section 111a projects into the cavity 106 for a desired length. The threaded section 111a is then provided with a washer 120. The foamable material 121 threadably engages the threaded section 111a so as to be seated on the washer 120. Thus, the foamable material 121 is supported in a cavity 106 of the pillar 101.
Such a support structure of the foamable material as described above is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2-276836 (corresponding to British Patent Application No. 8903211.4).
In the above-noted conventional support structure of the foamable material in which the foamable material 121 engages the threaded section 111a of the bolt 111 which projects into the cavity 106 of the pillar 101, the inner panel 102 has to be previously formed with a mounting aperture 107 which may receive the bolt 111 is inserted. Also, the foamable material 121 has to be formed with a threaded bore 125 which may threadably engage the threaded section 111a of the bolt 111. Thus, it takes a lot of labor to support the formable material 121 in the cavity 106 of the pillar 101. This may lead to increased costs.